Process of preparing a non-alcoholic chill-proof beverage.



erable period of time.

PATENT cl rion.

J'OHN BEERHALTER, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

PROCESS OF PREPARING A HIGH-ALCOHOLIC CHILL-PROOF BEVERAGE.

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No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN BEERHALTER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota,have invented a new and Improved Process of Preparing a Non- AlcoholicChill-Proof Beverage, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to non-alcoholic proteic beverages and the methodof preparing such beverages. An object of the invention is to preventnormally soluble proteids of the non-alcoholic beverages from becominginsoluble due to a change of temperature or the lapse of time. Anotherobject of the invention is to produce non-alcoholic beverages rich inproteids, which possess great stability and which do not become turbidor cloudy even when chilled for a consid- A still further object of theinvention is to provide a non alcoholic beverage which will not becometurbid and acquire a disagreeable odor when exposed to difiused daylightfor a long period of time, and which will be comparatively littleaffected by the direct rays of the sun. I obtain the above results byemploying proteolytic enzyms in the finishing of the product. I am wellaware that the use of proteolytic enzyme for alcoholic beverages is notnew, but the use of the same for non-alcoholic beverages is new as faras I know.

The term non-alcoholic beverage here applies to a product of maltedgrain, with or without the addition of unmalted grain, sugar and hops,or other flavoring vegetable substances, and charged with carbonic acidgas, which beverage has not been subjected to alcoholic fermentation andcannot be classed with malt extracts used for medicinal purposes, orwith beer and ale. Non-alcoholic beverages produced from barley malt orother malted or unmalted grain, sugar and hops, contain considerableproteids, which will render the beverage turbid in time or when chilled.The reason for the clouding of such non-alcoholic beverageis that time,changes of temperature and chilling render a part of its proteidsinsoluble,

thereby causing turbidity, especially n0- ticeable in non-alcoholicbeverages, as they lack the preserving powerof alcohol, which fermentedbeers and ales contain.

According to my method of manufactur- Speeifioaticn of Letters Patent.

Application filed November is. 1914.

Patented Sept. 11, 1917..

Serial No. 872,872.

ing a non-alcoholic beverage, the same is preparedby suitable means andthere is added to the beverage immediately after cooling, or any timebefore racking or bottling, a proportion of proteolytic enzyms, activein slightly acid media, suflicient to modify the proteids contained inthe beverage, the transformation being in such a manner that theproteids will not precipitate through pasteurizing, storing or chilling.During the pasteurization or storing of the finished product, theseaddedenzyms are active, and those proteids which would normally berendered insoluble by storage or chilling of the beverage are somodified by the proteolysis that the resulting non-alc0- holic beveragewill remain clear and brilliant, being no longer sensitive to long timestoring or shipping or change of temperature.

The non-alcoholic beverages treated according to my methodare unaffectedby exposure to diffused daylight for days or even weeks, andcomparatively little afi'ected by the direct rays of the sun, whereassuch nonalcoholic beverages, not so treated, rapidly acquire a highlydisagreeable odor or flavor when exposed to sunlight, and quickly losetheir brilliancy, after depositing a sediment of proteids under theaction of difiused daylight.

It is practically impossible to specify all proteolytic enzyms which aresuited for use in accordance with my invention, or to state a definiteproportion in which said enzyms should be added. Enzyms which aresuitable for the purpose above described are widely distributed in thevegetable and animal kingdom and are readily prepared in concentratedform by known methods. Their preparations have in several instancesbecome standard articles of commerce. Such preparations are not,however, pure in the sense'of consisting solely of enzyme or of a singlekind of enzym, and all proteolytic enzyme are in practlce recognizedonly by their effects upon proteid matter. The source fromwhichproteolytic enzyms are derived is not material or important, providedthe preparation is free from constituents injurious to the beverage andthe enzyms are capable of exerting the proper modifying action upon theproteids under the conditions existing in beverages during or after thepasteurization at a temperature of 55 to C. The enzyme selected shouldbe such as are capable of inducing proteoare not destroyed or.renderedpermanently inactive by subjection to the usual temperature ofpasteurization. The activity of enzyms from various sources difi'ersgreatly, their activity being also affected by their mode of preparationor concentration; and inasmuch as the proportion or quantity to be usedis dependent upon their activity, it is evident that such proportion orquantity can be specified only in particular cases, being, however,readily determined by a simple test for each case.

Enzyms'which are suited for use in accordance with my invention may beprepared from malt and by other known methods described in well-knownjournals of the United States of Apnerica, France, Denmark and Germany.(See Allen Comercz'al Analysis, 4th edition, Vol. YIII, pages- Besidesthe peptase prepared from malt, preparations containing proteolyticenzyms from other sources are well adapted for use, provided they areactive'in slightly acid media, and are free from substances injurious tothe beverage. Such enzyms are, for example, papain, derived from papaw,and pepsin, derived from the gastric secretion of mammals, and suchcommercial 7 preparations as, for instance, papain and peps n, oftenexhibit a high degree of activity, which makes them suitable for thepurpose of my invention. The above mentioned enzyms and their kind can,however, methods, and it is not possible to. ascribe to them definitechemical properties; in fact, their value is determined by theirdigestive power on y.

It is also important to notice that zymogens subject to conversion intoproteolytic enzyms can be used for my method of manufacturingnon-alcoholic beverages.

The proportion of coagulable albuminoids in the beverage determines theamount of enzyms necessary for my purpose, subject to the activitypossessed by the enzyms.

Care must be taken not to add an excess of enzyms, as it would renderthe beverage sensitive to turbidity.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In the manufacture of non-alcoholic beverages containing proteids, astep consisting in adding to the beverage, subsequent to the cooling ofthe wort, an ingredient preventing the coagulation of proteids under achange of temperature or the lapse of time.

2. In the manufacture of non-alcoholic beverages produced from maltedgrain, and charged with carbonic acid gas, a step which consists inadding to the beverage subsequent to the cooling of the wort aproteolytic,

enzym active in slightly acid media.

'3. In the manufacture of non-alcoholic beverages, produced from maltedgrain and flavoring vegetable substances, and charged with carbonic acidgas, the step which consists in adding to the beverage subsequent to thecooling of the Wort, a proteolytic enzym active in slightly acid media,such enzym being added in proportions and under conditions to remain inthe finished beverage in the described state of activity and to renderthe beverage chill-proof and more stable at ordinary temperatures.

4. In the manufacture of non-alcoholic beverages, produced from maltedgrain and other flavoring vegetable substances, and charged withcarbonic acid gas, the step which consistsin adding to the beverage,subsequent to the cooling of the wort, a proteolytic enzym active inslightly acid media, such enzym being added in proportion and underconditions to'remain in the finished beverage in' the described state ofactivity and to render the beverage chillproof and more stable atordinary temperatures, and subsequently pasteurizing.

5. In the manufacture of non-alcoholic beverages, produced from maltedgrain, and other flavoring vegetable substances, and charged withcarbonic acid gas, the step which consists in adding to the beveragesubsequent to the cooling of the wort, a

